anyone use engine dyno software? wild engine ideas???

[gonefishin]

ok so i am building a new engine for my blazer and i am wanting to run a few combos through a good engine dyno software. so what is everyone using? i want something that i can use actual part numbers and such to get an accurate reading or maybe i can tell some one the parts i am running and they can run it through their software????

so far all i am sure of is that i am running a late model sbc block and i already bought the afr 195 cc heads and i am shooting for 10:1 compression. dont think i am going to stroke it because this is a budget build i talked to comp cams and they recommended a few cams and way bigger than i was planning so i wanna see what kind of power they are making and where in the rpm rang before i make a cam choice and i already tried cam quest on their website and it is way too optimistic and vague one the parts selection

 

[dyeager535]

I've been using desktop dyno 2003. It's not ideal, but it's also not the newest version either. As I recall Comp Cams either bought whoever was making the software out, or if they didn't, have apparently somehow gotten their cams integrated into the software. If you know the grind number, it's probably already in DD2003.

Two things I don't like are that you can't try different rocker arm ratios (no idea how they are calculating actual valve lift) and when you start getting into piston dish or valve reliefs, compression height seems to be "broken". Easy to work around, but again, not knowing how these calculations play into the output numbers, you don't have a good idea if fudging by increasing chamber size (for instance, to make up for the valve reliefs) is affecting the output numbers or not. I really doubt it, but you never know.

From what I had read in the past, if your input data was good, the output data could be very close. IMO any of that type of software is best used to give you an idea of what X change will make to the motor. Compression, cam, heads, etc. One of the major problems I found is that everyone who flows heads, gets different numbers. Vortecs have so many conflicting flow numbers it's painful. And then of course some head manufacturers don't measure flow at the same pressure(?) as others, so again the numbers aren't apples to apples.

I suspect the newest versions are much better.